Sunday, March 01, 2015

Guangzhou

In my excitement to post about places like Hong Kong and Qingyuan, I've been remiss in not telling you about the city I live in. Guangzhou is a big, bustling city that reminds me a lot of Houston. It has the same weather, the same types of sprawl, and is serious about it's ice {hallelujah, ice water is not a weird thing here}.

On the other hand, it's crowded. So many people everywhere, all the time. I went to my favorite hot pot restaurant on a Sunday night at 9pm. 2 hour wait. WHAT?! Who are all these people and why aren't they in bed?

Seriously though, this city has a lot to offer. It's the unique position of sharing a border with "the West." During the Boxer Rebellion and Cultural Revolution, many people escaped through Canton {Guangzhou/Guandong} to Hong Kong. Many people here speak at least 3 languages: Mandarin, Cantonese and English. The local food is what you might expect if you've only ever had Americanized Chinese food: sweet and sour pork or chicken, steamed vegetables, dumplings, egg drop soup, etc. I personally prefer 北京菜 or 四川菜 {Beijing or Sichuan food} but it's fun to have super easily available dim sum that is also reliably delicious.

One of the most iconic structures in GZ is the Canton TV Tower. It lights up like a rainbow at night, and can be seen almost anywhere in the city. I happen to live very close to it and the city center, so there is a lot for me to see an do.

Enjoy some pictures of my city. Despite how big it is, there are plenty of scenic spots, parks, and pagodas!